Readers from across the state submitted more than 200 nominations for the 2016 Varsity Maine Awards – and we are pleased to announce finalists in each of the categories.
Finalists will be recognized and winners announced on stage in a ceremony honoring the best in Maine high school sports. The awards show will be held Wednesday, April 27, at the Costello Sports Complex on the University of Southern Maine campus in Gorham.
The Varsity Maine Awards, hosted by the Maine Sunday Telegram, will feature Spose as emcee and Erin Ovalle on the red carpet. Information on tickets is available at pressherald.com/vmea.
In addition to the 10 nomination categories, the sports staffs of the Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel will select girls’ and boys’ athletes of the year. The finalists in those categories are also listed here:
THE CLUTCH PLAYER
Jocelyn Mitiguy, Greely soccer; Amir Moss, Portland basketball; Trever Gray, Waterville track; Austin McCrum, Thornton Academy football; Maddie Hasson, South Portland basketball.
THE SCHOOL THAT RULES
Ellsworth; Lewiston; Portland; Waterville; Yarmouth.
THE WOW FACTOR
Erin Holmes, Greely; Abdi Shariff-Hasson, Lewiston; Luke Fredette, Winslow; Emily Jefferds, Scarborough; Kate Ginder, Cape Elizabeth.
THE CRITICAL ASSIST
Steve McEachern, Ellsworth swimming; John & Tammy Ewing, Hampden unified basketball; Emily Vigue, MCI football; Thornton Academy pep band.
THE COMEBACK KIDS
Sanford cheerleaders; Cheverus boys’ hockey; Vinalhaven boys’ basketball; South Portland boys’ basketball; Madison boys’ basketball.
THE LEAP YEAR
Gray-New Gloucester football team; Christopher St. Pierre, Oxford Hills basketball; Kolbe Merfeld, Cony baseball; Charles Barnard, Portland baseball; Colin Tardiff, Scarborough track.
THE ROLE MODEL
Ryan Sinclair, Hall-Dale unified basketball; Nicole Budri, Falmouth lacrosse; Hilary Merrifield, Camden Hills wrestling; Curtis McLeod, MCI football; MacKenzie Hoglund, Cheverus soccer.
THE LOUDEST AND PROUDEST
Lake Region boosters; Al Garcia, Gorham superfan; Joyce Hill, Skowhegan superfan; Morse basketball fans; Medomak Valley basketball fans.
THE UNSUNG HERO
Lauren Anderson, Waterville basketball; Allyssa Hanley, Oxford Hills basketball; David Washburn, Skowhegan (multiple sports); Dillon Boutin, Biddeford basketball; Kate Walton, Ellsworth swimming.
COACH OF THE YEAR:
Chris Binette, Massabesic boys’ basketball; Rick Clark, York girls’ basketball; Steve DeAngelis, Maranacook skiing; Stacen Doucette, Oak Hill football; Heather Strout-Thompson, Narraguagus girls’ basketball.
BOYS’ ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Connor Aube, Falmouth; Matt Caron, Scarborough; Trevor DeLaite, Bangor; Peter Del Gallo, Gardiner; Joe Esposito, Portland.
GIRLS’ ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Tess Haller, Cape Elizabeth; Nia Irving, Lawrence; Libby Pomerleau, Thornton Academy; Lily Posternak, York; Kaelyn Woods, Gray-New Gloucester
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.